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LOUISBURG -- Franklin County has yet to send out an invoice under its new public records request policy, but a former senator seeking a connection between the sheriff, the former lieutenant governor and a public relations firm in Florida is bracing for a bill.
When Franklin County commissioners met on Jan. 6, commissioners approved a fee schedule that allows the county to charge the actual cost of duplication for records, as well as a special service charge to fulfill public records requests.

FRANKLINTON -- Town officials approved a concept that outlines vehicle bypasses, pedestrian paths, local roadway connectors and other routes part of a comprehensive transportation plan.
Town Manager Zachary Steffey said the Franklinton Comprehensive Transportation Plan is a strategic guide for future investments in infrastructure and a guide for future growth and development in and around the town.

FETED. The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce handed out awards during its annual banquet on Jan. 21. Above, Chamber Executive Director Richard Veverka presented the Citizen of the Year Award to Rex Foster, left. Foster and other Northeast Franklin Revitalization members, including Melissa Hodges, right, have worked to bolster that part of the county.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Tourism Development Authority got a fiscal picture of its past and present.
And, they also set up their future leadership -- but it was a bit cumbersome.
During Monday's special called meeting, the board elected its chair and vice chair, but it didn't occur without dialogue and debate.

LOUISBURG -- In a whole lot less time than it takes to get through Youngsville rush hour traffic, Franklin County commissioners bolstered the town's ongoing efforts to speed up its bypass.
In early September, Youngsville officials, management and residents appeared before county commissioners, asking them to step up and help the town speed up a bypass that the State Department of Transportation has pencilled in for 2050.

Louisburg resident Ozell Mangum

Reading a Page 1 story in last week's edition sent me on a troubling journey down memory lane -- and then prompted a little research to flesh out some important issues.
Reading the story about a large solar farm proposed for Franklin County revealed that some folks are concerned about the environmental impact of such a facility.
But as I've written in the past, I grew up in the coal fields of Eastern Ohio and am familiar with "the rest of the story" regarding electrical generation.

Essentially two years later, it's fair to say that the county commissioners support of its relatively new and re-established Animal Services Advisory Board has been a failure.
Let me provide some history for a bit of context.
Going back to January 2019, animal welfare advocates -- many of them representing animal rescue organizations -- urged county commissioners to support efforts and establish policies to improve conditions at the shelter they alleged were leading to too many animals being put down and not enough being adopted.

Dear editor: I have been so impressed with and thankful for the recent dedication of our town's public works department employees.
We had a major water main break on Justice Street the night it was 15 degrees. These workers were out in the water and extreme cold working all night until 8:30 a.m. the next morning.

Dear editor: I enjoyed the letter about our former President, Jimmy Carter. He was an honorable and decent individual. He also brought a large group of decent people to Washington.
Hamilton Jordan (pronounced "JER-don") was his Chief of Staff for a period. He authored a book about how Washington overwhelmed the Carter White House. There are a couple of books that would be a great read.

Whitakers, NC -- Funeral services for Charlie Lewis Mills Sr., age 81, who died on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, were held 2 p.m., Friday, January 24, from the Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Hollister with Pastor Al Cooper officiating. Burial followed in the Trinity Church Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Connie Faye Harris Richardson, age 70, who died on Saturday, January 25, 2025, was held Tuesday, January 28, at 11 a.m. from the Shady Grove Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC with Pastor John A. Hopkins, Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in the Shiloh Church Cemetery in Kittrell, NC.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Ms. Deborah Rose Bullock, 62, of Louisburg died Thursday, January 23, 2025. She was born on June 8, 1962 to Tommy and Sandra Pearce Bullock.

NASHVILLE, NC -- Funeral services for Deryl Battle, age 68, who died on Thursday, January 23, 2025, will be held Thursday, January 30, at 12 p.m. from the Galatia AME Church in Nashville, NC with Pastor Cathy Kearney officiating.

HENDERSON, NC -- Edward Allen Newton, 54, of Henderson (Epsom community), died unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at his home. He was born on June 5, 1970, to Mr. Robert "Bobby" and Theresa Newton in Vance County.

Louisburg, NC -- Ernest "Pete" Clemmon Burnette, 87, of Louisburg, passed away early Monday morning, January 27, 2025, at his home.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- John Thomas Montague, 62, was born to Evelyn Marie Montague in Wake County, North Carolina on March 6, 1962 and died January 24, 2025.

Franklinton, NC -- Raymond H. Huber Jr., 66, of Franklinton, NC passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Wake Med Hospital in Raleigh, NC with his family by his side.

Enfield, NC -- Funeral services for Ricky "Donnell" Mills, age 68, who died on Monday, January 20, 2025, will be held on Friday, January 31, at 2 p.m. from the Faith Baptist Church in Enfield with Rev. Bobby Rudd officiating. Burial will follow in the Silver Hill Family Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC - William Eaton Champion, Sr., 92, of Louisburg, died Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the Durham VA Medical Center Heroes Way Hospice Unit.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Willis Frank Eatman, age 77, of Louisburg, passed away Friday evening, January 10, 2025 at WakeMed.

Clayton, NC -- Funeral services for Zachary "Zack" Wilkins Sr., age 54, who died on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, were held Wednesday, January 29, at 1 p.m. from the Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister. Burial followed in the Lynch Family Cemetery.

Louisburg native and author Audrey Wiltshire will appear at Louisburg College.
Wiltshire is an author of short stories and has written and self-published two books: "A Glimpse of Miss Janie" details stories of memories of her grandmother, while "It's Not About You...It's About Me", is her journal from the last three months of her mother's life prior to transition.
Wiltshire is also a playwright, photographer and musician.

Dalton Southerland of Louisburg received a 4.0 GPA for the recent Fall term at NC State University. It was Dalton's first term as a graduate student. He is working on his Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

YOUNGSVILLE -- An electrical wire and cable company is expanding its operations into a building at the US-1 North Commerce Center in Franklin County.
Southwire -- North America's leading manufacturer of wire and cables used in transmission and distribution of electricity -- is relocating to a new 170,000-square-foot facility to enable the company to increase production and provide continued employment for more than 200 current employees as part of the company's modernization strategy.

LOUISBURG -- A handful of death, assault and sexually-related cases were updated in court this week.
One of them was resolved.
• Authorities arrested George Lamont Perry in June of 2021, alleging the 28-year-old sold Luther Coley Jr. a derivative of fentanyl that led to the 31-year-old's overdose death.

The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce handed out awards during its annual banquet on Jan. 21. Above, Rustic Roots received the Chamber's Chairman's Award of Excellence. From left to right are Harmony Rogers, Margaret Vollmer, Jacqueline Boykin, Russ Vollmer, and Nancy and Omar Cruz.